Definition #
The act of disclosing someone’s personal, non-public information — such as a real name, home address, phone number or any other data that could be used to identify the individual — in an online forum or other public place without the person’s consent.
Background #
Personally Identifiable Information, or PII, includes any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. This can range from direct information like social security numbers and email addresses to more indirect data such as an individual’s physical address or date of birth. Moderators should be vigilant for the sharing of such information without consent, particularly in a context that suggests malicious intent. However, distinguishing between harmful sharing and innocent or even self-disclosure requires careful judgement, as some users may share their own information for legitimate reasons.
According to the Social Media Victims Law Center, “Doxxing is a harmful act of exposing someone’s personal information without their consent on social media, the dark web, or any other public forum. This form of cyberbullying is often used to extort favors and other benefits from victims resulting in multiple forms of abuse and humiliation.”
The fact that some PII may be findable through public resources does not negate the act of compiling and re-sharing as being harassment. The source may similarly be posted without the person’s consent, and compiling and re-sharing this information likely constitutes harassment, unless related to a legitimate need to publish the information.
Resources #
Responding to and Preventing Doxing: A TSPA Resource
Example Rule #
Sharing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of others without their explicit consent is prohibited. Protect privacy and respect the confidentiality of all users.
Discussion #
Discuss this label in the Personally Identifiable Information forum.
